Colo. Governor John Hickenlooper, left, gestures during a roundtable discussion titled The Impacts of Major Western Oil and Gas Finds: Meeting Challenges and Capturing Opportunities, during the annual Western Governors' Association Meeting, at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Tuesday, June 10, 2014. The head of the Environmental Protection Agency promoted proposed clean power plant rules to Western governors Tuesday, framing the plan as a way to deal with destructive wildfires and floods that have ravaged the region in recent years. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)(Brennan Linsley)Governors Dennis Daugaard of South Dakota, center, Gary Herbert of Utah, right, and Matt Mead of Wyoming participate in a roundtable discussion titled Water in the West: Challenges and Opportunities, during the annual Western Governors' Association Meeting, at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Tuesday, June 10, 2014. Ten governors from Western states attended the second day of the conference Tuesday, discussing common regional issues. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)(Brennan Linsley)Governor of Arizona Jan Brewer, left, talks with fellow Governors Sam Brownback of Kansas, right, and Idaho's Butch Otter, during the annual Western Governors' Association Meeting, at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Tuesday, June 10, 2014. Ten governors from western states attended the second day of the conference Tuesday, discussing common regional issues. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)(Brennan Linsley)Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, center, flanked by Colo. Gov. John Hickenlooper, left, and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, smiles during a roundtable discussion titled The Impacts of Major Western Oil and Gas Finds: Meeting Challenges and Capturing Opportunities, during the annual Western Governors' Association Meeting, in Colorado Springs, Tuesday, June 10, 2014. Sandoval is expected to easily pace the field in two crowded primary contests Tuesday in Nevada, where the most attention is on the Republican primary for lieutenant governor and the race to line up behind the popular GOP governor who may have his sights set on higher office. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)(Brennan Linsley)

Western governors' views on proposed EPA rules

Western governors' views on proposed power plant rules from EPA

By The Associated Press

Posted on June 10, 2014 at 5:12 p.m.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Ten western governors met Tuesday with Gina McCarthy, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, to talk about cleaner power plant rules proposed by the Obama administration — including cuts in greenhouse gas emissions from coal. A sampling of what some governors have to say about it:

ARIZONA: GOP Gov. Jan Brewer objects to the EPA plan and believes the agency has overstepped its authority, her spokesman has said. Arizona state lawmakers passed a law in 2010 that bars new state rules or regional agreements to reduce greenhouse gases unless the Legislature approves. It’s unclear how the EPA proposal will play out in Arizona.

COLORADO: Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper said it was “refreshing” that McCarthy has been looking for input from governors on the EPA proposal. He noted that Colorado is moving to diversify its energy portfolio into an “all-of-the-above” approach. On climate change, he said, “I do think that climate change is being caused by mankind’s activity.”

KANSAS: Republican Gov. Sam Brownback was blunt in his assessment when the rules were announced. “This is more of the Obama administration’s war against middle America,” he said. Kansas relies on coal-fired plants for about 63 percent of the state’s electricity.

MONTANA: Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock said he believes coal is an important energy source for Montana (a coal producer) and the country. However, Bullock said: “In Montana, whether you’re a farmer, whether you’re a fisherman ... you know that the climate is changing and we need to do something about it.”

NEVADA: Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval praised McCarthy for communicating with him before and after the rules were announced. While Sandoval said his administration is still reviewing the plan, he noted that Nevada already is decreasing its reliance on coal, citing legislation he signed that will close a couple of coal plants and replace them with renewable energy sources. “We felt like we were ahead of the curve on this,” he said.

SOUTH DAKOTA: GOP Gov. Dennis Daugaard has said he is concerned that the rules will raise energy prices — a worry other governors share. Daugaard wants a clearer understanding of how involved the federal government will be in formulating state plans to reduce emissions.

WYOMING: Republican Gov. Matt Mead says he is skeptical about man-made climate change. He’s reserved judgment on the EPA plan until his coal-producing state has studied it. Mead has said he will “fight for coal” if the regulations aren’t reasonable.